hang on there! Window 8 takes a lot of getting used to, but once you learn a few hidden tricks, there is a lot to like about it!

Here, to get you started

Windows key: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed application Windows key + C: Access the charms bar Windows key + Tab: Access the Modern Desktop Taskbar Windows key + I: Access the Settings charm Windows key + H: Access the Share charm Windows key + K: Access the Devices charm Windows key + Q: Access the Apps Search screen Windows key + F: Access the Files Search screen Windows key + W: Access the Settings Search screen Windows key + P: Access the Second Screen bar Windows key + Z: Brings up the App Bar when you have a Modern Desktop App running Windows key + X: Access the Windows Tools Menu Windows key + O: Lock screen orientation Windows key + . : Move the screen split to the right Windows key + Shift + . : Move the screen split to the left Windows key + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications Windows key + Shift + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications in reverse order Windows key + PrtScn: Takes a screenshot of the screen and automatically saves it in the Pictures folder as Screenshot Windows key + Enter: Launch Narrator Windows key + E: Open Computer Windows key + R: Open the Run dialog box Windows key + U: Open Ease of Access Center Windows key + Ctrl + F: Open Find Computers dialog box Windows key + Pause/Break: Open the System page Windows key + 1..10: Launch a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number Windows key + Shift + 1..10: Launch a new instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number Windows key + Ctrl + 1..10: Access the last active instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number Windows key + Alt + 1..10: Access the Jump List of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number Windows key + B: Select the first item in the Notification Area and then use the arrow keys to cycle through the items Press Enter to open the selected item Windows key + Ctrl + B: Access the program that is displaying a message in the Notification Area Windows key + T: Cycle through the items on the Taskbar Windows key + M: Minimize all windows Windows key + Shift + M: Restore all minimized windows Windows key + D: Show/Hide Desktop (minimize/restore all windows) Windows key + L: Lock computer Windows key + Up Arrow: Maximize current window Windows key + Down Arrow: Minimize/restore current window Windows key + Home: Minimize all but the current window Windows key + Left Arrow: Tile window on the left side of the screen Windows key + Right Arrow: Tile window on the right side of the screen Windows key + Shift + Up Arrow: Extend current window from the top to the bottom of the screen Windows key + Shift + Left/Right Arrow: Move the current window from one monitor to the next Windows key + F1: Launch Windows Help and Support

PageUp: Scroll forward on the Modern Desktop Start screen PageDown: Scroll backward on the Modern Desktop Start screen Esc: Close a charm Ctrl + Esc: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed application Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel: Activate the Semantic Zoom on the Modern Desktop screen

Alt: Display a hidden Menu Bar Alt + D: Select the Address Bar Alt + P: Display the Preview Pane in Windows Explorer Alt + Tab: Cycle forward through open windows Alt + Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through open windows Alt + F: Close the current window Open the Shut Down Windows dialog box from the Desktop Alt + Spacebar: Access the Shortcut menu for current window Alt + Esc: Cycle between open programs in the order that they were opened Alt + Enter: Open the Properties dialog box of the selected item Alt + PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the active Window and place it in the clipboard Alt + Up Arrow: Move up one folder level in Windows Explorer (Like the Up Arrow in XP) Alt + Left Arrow: Display the previous folder Alt + Right Arrow: Display the next folder Shift + Insert: CD/DVD Load CD/DVD without triggering Autoplay or Autorun Shift + Delete: Permanently delete the item (rather than sending it to the Recycle Bin) Shift + F6: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog box Shift + F10: Access the context menu for the selected item Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog box Shift + Click: Select a consecutive group of items Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a program Shift + Right-click on a Taskbar button: Access the context menu for the selected item Ctrl + A: Select all items Ctrl + C: Copy the selected item Ctrl + X: Cut the selected item Ctrl + V: Paste the selected item Ctrl + D: Delete selected item Ctrl + Z: Undo an action Ctrl + Y: Redo an action Ctrl + N: Open a new window in Windows Explorer Ctrl + W: Close current window in Windows Explorer Ctrl + E: Select the Search box in the upper right corner of a window Ctrl + Shift + N: Create new folder Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open the Windows Task Manager Ctrl + Alt + Tab: Use arrow keys to cycle through open windows Ctrl + Alt + Delete: Access the Windows Security screen Ctrl + Click: Select multiple individual items Ctrl + Click and drag an item: Copies that item in the same folder Ctrl + Shift + Click and drag an item: Creates a shortcut for that item in the same folder Ctrl + Tab: Move forward through tabs Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Move backward through tabs Ctrl + Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a program as an Administrator Ctrl + Click on a grouped Taskbar button: Cycle through the instances of a program in the group F1: Display Help F2: Rename a file F3: Open Search F4: Display the Address Bar list F5: Refresh display F6: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog box F7: Display command history in a Command Prompt F10: Display hidden Menu Bar F11: Toggle full screen display Tab: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog box PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the entire screen and place it in the clipboard Home: Move to the top of the active window End: Move to the bottom of the active window Delete: Delete the selected item Backspace: Display the previous folder in Windows Explorer Move up one folder level in Open or Save dialog box Esc: Close a dialog box Num Lock Enabled + Plus (+): Display the contents of the selected folder Num Lock Enabled + Minus (-): Collapse the selected folder Num Lock Enabled + Asterisk (*): Expand all subfolders under the selected folder

Press Shift 5 times Turn StickyKeys on or off Hold down right Shift for 8 seconds Turn FilterKeys on or off Hold down Num Lock for 5 seconds Turn ToggleKeys on or off